3G Internet UK

• Pay monthly
• Pay as you go
• Free laptop
• Mobile Wi-Fi
• Tablets & iPads

		Setup	Monthly price	Contract	Speed	Downloads
Sponsored link	312 reviews	Pay Up Front Mobile broadband - Only £29.99 - with 90 days usage included (data worth £45) Unlimited browsing: No extra charges over 1GB fair use but peak time downloading/streaming may be restricted.					Go Check coverage>
1	577 reviews	FREE	£18.99/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go 0800 988 8147Check coverage>
	MiFi Broadband 15GB	Extras: HSPA+ Mi-Fi router, available in black or white, connects up to five Wi-Fi devices
2	577 reviews	FREE	£15.99/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go 0800 988 8147Check coverage>
	Standard Broadband 15GB	Extras: HSPA+ dongle
3	577 reviews	FREE	£15/mth	1 month	7.2Mbmax speed	10 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband SIM only	Extras: Mobile broadband SIM
4	577 reviews	£49.99 + VAT	£13.32+ VAT/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	MiFi Business Broadband 15GB	Extras: HSPA+ Mi-Fi router, available in black or white, connects up to five Wi-Fi devices BUSINESS CUSTOMERS ONLY
5	577 reviews	£19.99	£15.99/mth	1 month	7.2Mbmax speed	5 GBper month	Go 0800 988 8147Check coverage>
	Premium Broadband 5GB	Extras: HSPA+ dongle. Rotating head allows dongle to sit vertically acting as an aerial for improved signal.
6	577 reviews	£49.99	£15.99/mth	1 month	7.2Mbmax speed	5 GBper month	Go 0800 988 8147Check coverage>
	MiFi Broadband 5GB	Extras: HSPA+ Mi-Fi router, available in black or white, connects up to five Wi-Fi devices
7	FREEfor 3 months 312 reviews	FREE	FREE £8.50 after 3 months	18 months	4.5Mbmax speed	1 GBper month(fair use policy)	Go Check coverage>
	Business Pay monthly	Extras: Unlimited browsing: no extra charges over 1GB/mth fair usage, but downloading/streaming restricted at peak times
8	3 monthsHALF PRICE 271 reviews	FREE	£7.50/mth £15 after 3 months	18 months	7.2Mbmax speed	2 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Occasional User 18 month 2GB + 2GB WiFi	Offer: 3 months half price Extras: 2GB data allowance anytime, plus 2GB Wi-Fi via BT Openzone. 30-day money back guarantee
9	98 reviews	FREE	£25/mth	18 months	Undisclosed	5 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile WiFi Large 18 Months	Extras: Connects up to five devices to the internet at once, wirelessly. 5GB anytime plus Unlimited BT Openzone Wi-Fi and 2 for 1 cinema tickets with Orange Wednesdays
10	98 reviews	FREE	£25/mth	18 months	Undisclosed	5 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	E 367 Large 18 month	Extras: 5GB anytime plus Unlimited BT Openzone Wi-Fi plus 2 for 1 cinema tickets with Orange Wednesdays

Buyers’ guide: 3G internet

If you’re after mobile broadband then a comparison website such as Broadband Genie will give you the best access to all the available deals and offers from the UK’s leading mobile broadband suppliers. Alongside being able to compare deals and reading reviews before you buy, it’s also possible to get valuable information on how the mobile internet works and which options will best suit your needs.

Even if you’re a relative newcomer to all things mobile broadband, the chances are you’ll be familiar with the network providers who offer it – because it’s the usual suspects that offer mobile phone deals too. The likes of 3 Mobile, Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2 and Orange all offer mobile internet services you can use to connect any netbooks, laptops and tablet devices (such as the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab) to the web.

However, what can be daunting are the many different terms and deals you’ll find, as well as the various bits of 3G internet hardware you can choose from. There are cheap as chips low-end packages through to top of the range mobile broadband deals with laptops thrown in, often with different download limits and speeds advertised. But don’t worry – we’re here to guide you through.

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3G internet UK services

Over the past few years the 3G internet UK providers have done a good job of increasing their coverage to now take in the vast majority of the population. All the leading mobile broadband providers now boast population coverage of 90 per cent or more.

Even so, before you do anything else you should ensure that 3G internet services are strong in the areas you’ll be using them in most. Otherwise, you could simply be wasting your money. Each mobile internet provider will have a coverage checker on their website – simply pop in your postcode to make sure you can get 3G internet services in that location.

But don’t be put off if one provider doesn’t cover those spots – try them all to see which you’ll be able to choose from. You may find a provider you hadn’t thought of to consider has great mobile internet coverage right where you need it.

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How does 3g mobile internet work?

The easiest way to explain the mobile internet is via a very short history lesson. The first mobile phones operated on basic analog networks; these were replaced during the 90s by GSM networks, which were dubbed 2G, or second generation, and were digital.

These networks are still in place, covering almost all of the country, and are capable of allowing the mobile internet onto phones and laptops – but at very slow speeds, as they were largely designed for voice calls and basic texting.

In the UK, these 2G mobile networks have now largely been superseded with the third generation of mobile networks, unsurprisingly dubbed 3G. These 3G networks allow much greater internet speeds.

3G internet is usually referenced either in terms of smartphones, where browsing the internet is possible on the small screen, or in terms of mobile broadband, where USB modems (or 'dongles') are plugged into a laptop, allowing you to have laptop internet and browse the internet as normal. You can now find mobile Wi-Fi devices (or MiFis) too, which allow for wireless mobile broadband access.

When connected to 3G internet, you can browse, download and upload in exactly the way you would from your desktop via a fixed-line broadband connection, only you can do it anywhere, with no wires and no need for Wi-Fi hotspots. The only requirement is that you are able get a 3G mobile phone signal where you are, so anywhere that mobile reception is patchy, 3G internet will be too. 

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Starting to find your best 3G internet deals

As we mentioned earlier, it’s no coincidence the 3G internet suppliers in the UK are also the mobile suppliers. Just as with phones there's a lot of choice available, so to get the best deal it pays to get yourself well informed.

We’ve already gone over checking coverage: the second question you will want to consider is, how about hardware? In order to enjoy the benefits of mobile broadband, you need to be able to get online on the move.

Many 3G internet suppliers are offering laptops, netbooks or tablet PCs as part of their mobile broadband deals. This is a very popular way of getting going if you don’t already have a laptop – although you should make sure that both the laptop and the contract suit you, rather getting a shiny deal that isn’t really practical.

You’ll find some of these deals are advertised as ‘free laptop’ deals. Of course, the laptops aren’t actually free – you pay for it over the course of along contract (usually two years). However, that doesn’t mean it’s not a great deal – you’re getting a shiny new laptop or tablet PC upfront and paying for it (with no interest) in monthly instalments.

If you don’t want, or need, one of these devices you can simply go for a dongle or MiFi deal. Dongles tends to be cheaper but don’t offer the ability to connect several devices at once. 

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Finding the best 3g internet download limit

The next thing to take into account when looking at the 3G internet packages is the download limit. 3G internet packages are sold with capped data allowances, meaning you’re only entitled to transfer that much data per month (or face extra charges). The other option is pay as you go mobile internet deals, which work out more expensive for data but give you more flexibility as you only pay for what you need, when you need it.

Data limits start small (1GB per month or below) and go up beyond 10GB, with some pretty big price differences between the two ends of the spectrum. Check out our data calculator to work out what you may need, but in general terms you’ll want to do your large file downloading at home – not on the move – if you can help it.

Remember, mobile 3G internet makes a great supplement to your home internet connection, which being either ADSL or cable will be much better suited to downloading large amounts of data such as movies and music. You can always do this and then transfer a lot of your files onto a laptop or netbook if you’re going on the move and want some entertainment. 

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What speed is 3g internet?

3G internet is often sold as 'up to' a particular speed, but you won't get that speed on your connection – it’s a theoretical maximum the dongle or MiFi is capable of, not an accurate picture of real UK mobile internet speeds.

In reality, despite some claims of ‘up to’ 7.2Mb being possible, 3G internet speeds tend to average out at 1-2Mb. This doesn’t sound too great, but it’s perfectly adequate for surfing the internet, using Skype and social networking, or connecting to GPS. You may find much faster speeds too, especially if you’re in a static location.

The final key thing to look at is contract length. Contracts are normally 12, 18 or 24 months and you’ll tend to get a better deal the longer you sign up for. However, two years is a long time in mobile broadband and you'll be tied in until your contract is up.

For those who prefer not to tie themselves in at all, remember there are pay as you go options available, where you can 'top up' your data allowance as required. Just keep in mind that with many of these options the data top-ups expire after a certain time, whether you’ve used them or not.

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How do I get a 3G internet deal?

3G cheap internet deals change frequently and the good news is that, with mobile broadband still being a key growth market, suppliers are keen to sign up new customers; as a result there are usually a number of extra incentives on offer to try and make them the cheapest.

As with anything you buy, knowing a little bit about it and shopping around will really help get you the best prices. That’s why it’s so important to spend a little time carrying out a comparison of the deals on offer. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for mobile broadband as a complete package or just a 3G modem or MiFi, it’s possible to compare all of the UK availability on these items right here.

Better still, it’s also quick and easy to refine your search using the table above, now that you’ve got some more knowledge under your belt. Look at the main categories along the top of the table, which cover core mobile internet considerations such as setup, monthly fee, contract duration, speed and download allowances – decide how you want to grade the deals and click away.

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So what’s next?

Broadband Genie can help you decide which 3G broadband deals are right for you. You can compare various UK providers (such as Vodafone, 3 Mobile, T-Mobile, O2 and Orange) in the comparison tables on various factors, as well as read current customer reviews to work out which wireless broadband package is best suited to your needs. 

If you need more help, go to the top of this page where you’ll find links to more guides as well as to our forums, where you can ask one of our experts specific questions.

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Top 5 Mobile Broadband Help Guides

• Mobile Broadband Beginners Guide
• Mobile Broadband Coverage
• Mobile Broadband Download Limits
• Using Mobile Broadband Abroad
• Mobile Broadband Awards

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